As it was expected the news is finally out that Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif will miss the WC and will not figure in the squad for Pakistan. Though the decision, farcically, came minutes before the team’s departure to the Caribbean, it was reported that the two pacemen - Asif was down with an elbow injury while Shoaib was nursing a crocked knee.

According to the players medical reports it was known that their injuries will take time to heal so after selectors consulted Inzamam-ul-Haq the decision has been taken to not take them. The pair will be replaced by fast bowler Mohammad Sami and all rounder Yasir Arafat.

Sami and Arafat will join the team in the Caribbean in a few days but need to get clearance from the ICC’s technical committee. Their names were decided by the captain and the selection committee together which comes three days after Azhar Mahmood relacing Abdul Razzaq.

It may be recalled that the pair of Asif and Shoaib tested positive last year for Nandrolone in internal dope tests conducted just before the Champions Trophy got underway, but their bans were eventually overturned, much to the chagrin of the global cricket community.

However, the reason for their exclusion due to injuries has come in for a lot of flak from the cricket fraternity in Pakistan. Many retired greats have told the PCB to come out in the open and let people know the truth.

Whatever the reasons for their exclusion, the impact of their absence cannot be underestimated; Asif is one of cricket’s most exciting young bowlers and Shoaib one of the game’s fastest. It now means that Pakistan go into cricket’s premier event without three key components of their team.

Additionally, they will be without all rounder Shahid Afridi - owing to a four-match ban imposed by the ICC for misconduct in South Africa - for their first two games, including a tough opening game on March 13 against the hosts. Preparations for big series or tournaments in Pakistan are often blighted but few in recent memory have been as ravaged by injuries, controversies and scandals as this.